I wonder if you’ve ever heard the phrase ‘it takes a whole village to raise a child’?

This proverb has it’s origin in the Igbo and Yoruba peoples in Nigeria, although it exists in different forms in many African languages. The basic meaning is that the upbringing of children is a communal effort, where the extended family, siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and even other non-relatives – neighbours and friends, participate.

The saying also sums up the African worldview that underlines the value of family. In these cultures, children are seen as a blessing from God to the whole community.

The dis-connectedness of twenty first century living in the western world seems at times to be the polar opposite. Even in the smallest village there are people we know well, some we can nod at as we pass in the street, but others who are strangers. Not only does the whole village not raise a child, because offers of help can be seen as unwelcome interference, but we often just comment at a distance.

There is a wonderful polish proverb that encapsulates this. ‘Not my circus, not my monkey’s’. ‘Not my problem’ would be another way of putting it, but the Poles express it better. It’s not confined to the area of childcare, but also famine in Africa, Brazilian deforestation, or gun violence in America . Unless we ourselves are directly affected, we can be left unmoved and unstirred.

This is not God’s way. HIs way is best summed up some words of Jesus, which while not strictly speaking a proverb, for the purposes of this piece are worth treating as one.

‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength, and love your neighbour as yourself’.

The bible tells us how this vexed an expert in religious law who wanted to know from Jesus who his neighbour was, and in this post Brexit world it’s vital we remember this.  The answer for him is the answer for us. The people of this world are our neighbour, whatever colour or creed, religion or class. We are called to care for them as we would wish to be cared for ourselves. 

(August 2016)